Rotary engine



No. 626,2I6. Patented lune 6, |899.

AJ. BODAM.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application led July 15, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

IMIII `[/2 mmm@ John Badam fw, I al/Q No. 626,216. `Patented :une 6, |399.

' Y .1. BonAM.

ROTARY ENGINE.

lisation led July 16, 189B IIIl l!- z i im n Qi wlmi-umm.

Q. i y Y.,1-

www,... Y* l' www N6. 626,216. Patented lune 6, |699.

J. BouAM.

RUTARY ENGINE.

(Application med July 15, 189B.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Nlo. 626,2l6.

. Patented lune 6, |899. J. BODAM. ROTARY ENGINE.

(Applieation Bled July 15, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

UNITED SOTATESr PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN BODAM, OF MCFALL, MISSOURI.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,216, dated Jane 6, 1899. Application filed J'uly15, 1898. Serial No. 685,990-` (No model.)

'insection To all whom, t'mwy concern:

Beit known that L'JOHN BODAM, of McFall,

Gentry county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful vImprovements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to rotary engines; and my objects are to produce an engine of this character provided with a pair of rotary pistons mounted on the same shaft, butin independent chambers or subeylinders set at one hundred and eighty degrees to each other in order to obviate allchance of the machine stopping on a dead-center, to prodmce a rotary engine wherein the volume of steam may be Varied in order to permit 'the engineto work with more or less expansion, as desired, and to produce a rotary engine provided with oscillatory balanced valves', and thereby reduce friction to the minimum.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in appended claims; and in order that the invention may be fully understood I will proceed to describe it with referenceto theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal 'section taken through the center of the engine. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the same, taken on the dotted line Il of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view with the shaft shown Figg4 is a face View of one of the rotary pistons. Fig. 5 yis a vertical central transverse section of the upper part of the engine. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the upper part of the engine with the cap-plate of the steam-chest omitted. Fig. 7 is a perspective View, enlarged, of the reversing-valve mechanism. Fig. 8 is a View illustrating one of the adjustable cam-collars for regulating the volume of steam permitted to enter the cylinder. Fig. 9 is a perspectiveview of one of said collars detached. Fig. 10 is a perspective View of one of the spring-actuated wings of the rotary pistons.

View of the canrcollars detached, but in their proper positions with relation to each other. Fig. 12 is an end view of each of said cams as viewed in a direction opposite to the .point of view of Fig. 3. In the said drawings, 1 designates the engine-base, of any suitable form or material.

Fig. l1 is asidev 2 designates the cylinder, secured upon said base in any suitable or preferred manner and =provided with the customary circular heads 3, bolted thereto. Itis also provided with a central partition- 4 in order to provide the two like piston-chambers or subeylinders 6 and 7, and said partition and cylinder-heads are provided with centrally-arranged openings, throughv which extends axially of the cylinder the shaft 8'journa1edin suitable bearings -9, provided with oil-cups 10, and said shaft carries at its opposite ends the belt-wheel 11 and fly or balance wheel 12. Keyed to slide, but not to rotate, upon said shaft and arranged at opposite sides of the cylinder are collars 13 and 14, which will be hereinafter more particularly described, and secured reliably to said collars, by means of the plates 15, are rods 16. 17 designates a collar keyed by said rods upon the shaft in, the opening of partition 4 and provided with a peripheral annular groove formed by the upwardly-projecting parallel iianges 18, and iitting in said groove and bearing against its base and the wall of` said opening are a series of bearing-balls 19 in order that the shaft may rotate within the engine with the minimum degree of friction. Said collar is limited as to lateral movement by means of the rings 20, secured in rece'ses formed in opposite sides of the partition' in order that said rings shall not project into theV piston-chamber or subeylinders 6 and 7. '(See Fig. 1.) A slight lateral pull or movement of the ballbearing collar is unobjectionable, and as it rotates with the same speed and in the same direction as the rotary pistons/2O no friction would be created, even if the collar should come in contact with either of said pistons. As shown, however, such contact does not take place.

The pistons 2l are in duplicate and are constructed as follows: Each piston is formed 95 with a radial passage 22, extending from its periphery a suitable distance, and at opposite sides with-concentric grooves 23, intersected by said passage, and mounted in said grooves are spring packing-rings 24, which are forced roo. apart and against the side walls of the chamber or subcylinderby means of the expansive springs 25, fitting in passages bored through the piston. The wing of the piston iits snugly in the passage 22 and is formed substantially L-shaped, with its head or widest portion disposed outward and its stem projecting radially inward of the piston. Said win g is of the expansive type-that is to say, consists of two sections lap-jointed together (see Fig. 10) and provided with opposite cavities 27, wherein are 'seated the opposite ends of an expansive spring 2S, which presses the sides of the wing against the opposite sides of the chamber or subcylinder. As this wing occupies a position between the ends of the springrings 24, it is obvious that steam entering the chamber outward of said rings will be unable to pass farther inward, and consequently cannot pass from one piston-chamber or subcylinder to the other.` At opposite sides of the stem of said wing'each section thereof is provided with an inwardly-projecting pin 29, and engaging the same and bearing against the inner side of the ring are the free endsv ot' the springs 30, secured at their opposite ends to the piston, as shown'most clearly in Fig. 4, these springs tending to advance the wing radially at all times, so as to make a steam-tight joint between its outer surface or edge and the circular wall of the chamber or subcylinder in order that steam introduced in rear of the wing and between the same and the abutment 3l of the chamber or subcylinder will exert its full power upon said wing, and therefore rotate the piston at eX- ceedingly high speed.

The abutment 3l of each chamber or subcylinder is arranged vertically over its axis and slopes at the same curve or angle from each side toward its center in order that the engine may rotate in one direction or the other with equal facility. Said abutment partitions the space between the periphery `of the partition and the surrounding wall of the chamber or subcylinder, (see Fig. 2;) but in order to prevent any possibility of steam leaking back between said abutment and the piston it is provided with a recess in its.apex and with, by preference, three holes above and communicating with said recess. A wearplate 32 fits snugly in said recess and is provided with a stem 33, fitting snugly in said central hole, in order that the springs 34, iitting in the fianking-holes and bearing down upon said plate, shall press the latter straight downward at all times. It this guide-stem were not employed in order toprevent any tilting action of the plate, due to an unequal pressure thereon, it is probable that the joint between said plate and the cylinder or its wing, as the case may be, would be imperfect, as will be readily understood.

In practice the pistons are arranged relatively, so that the wing ot' one shall project at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees to the other in order to renderit impossible for the engine to stop on a dead-center.

Superposed with relation to the cylinder and by preference cast integral with the same is the steam-chest 35, provided with a transrotating in one direction or the other.

verse passage 36, communicating with the exhaust-pipe 37.

At opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the box and at each side of the exhaustport passage 3G are apair of downwardly-diverging passages 38 and 39, opening into each chamber or subcylinder through its abutment 3l at opposite sides of the wear-compensating plate 32 and communicating at their upper ends with the steam-chest. At the outer sides of said passages are the cavities 40 41,

connected by the holes 42 with the common exhaustport passage 36, hereinbefore described. When the passage 38 performs the function of an inlet-port, the passage 39 serves as an outlet-port, and vice versa, as will b1 hereinafter more fully explained.

43 designates a pair of slide-valves, each provided with a central passage 44 and with cavities 45 in its underside, said cavities being of such size and arrangement that when the passage 45, for instance, connects passages 39 and 4l the other passage 45 'will be to one side of passages 38 and 40, and at the same time the central passage 44 connects with passage 38. These slide-valves 43 are provided with pins 46, projecting inward from their sidejedges and engaging apertures in the depending flanges 47 of an I-shaped plate 48, which plate is provided along its longitudinal center with aplnralty of openings 49, with one or the other of which a cog-segment 50 engages, said cog-segment being adjustably mounted upon ia short shaft 51, journaled in one eind of the steam-chest and in a packing-box 5l to prevent the leakage of steam therefrom. The lever 52,Y mounted upon the outer end of said shaft, is provided y with the customary spring-actuated dog 53 to engage the notch 54 of sector 55, supported externally of the steam-chest, or the notch 56 of the sector, accordingly as the pistons are The manipulation of the lever slides the plate 48, and consequently said valves, from one side ofthe steam-chest to the other-that is to say, slides them from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the opposite side of the steamchest in order to place ports 38 and 40 in communication with one of the cavities 45 and at the same instant cause port 44 to register with port 39, thusl cutting off ports 39 and 4l from connection with each other. The reverse operation of said lever of course restores said valves to their original 'position or to the position shown in Fig. 2.

5'7 designates the steam-supply pipe, provided with a controlling-valve 58 and communicating with the steam-chest above the valve-shifting plate 48. l

59 designates a cap-plate or cover for the steam chest, and 60 an oilcup mounted thereon in order to lubricatc the valve-shifting plate 48 and the pistons.

In order to provide for and regulate the introduction of steam to the piston-chambers or subcylinders, I provide a mechanism con- ICO IIC

' structed as follows: 61 designates similar sta-l tionary valve-blocks, fitted in the steam-chest at opposite sides of the valve-shifting plate 48 and resting upon the slide-valves 43. Said blocks are each provided with a central opening G2, in Width about equal to the distance between the outer sides of the ports 3S and 39, in order that said opening may communicate with either of said ports, accordingly as the slide-valve 43 below registers with the one or the other, the central passage 44 of the slide-valve being always in communication with said opening 62. Shafts 63 and 64 extend centrally through said openings in alinement with cach other and parallel with the main shaft S. They are journaled in said blocks and, projecting outward through the packing-boxes 65, mounted upon the steamchest, are provided with crank-arms 66 at their outer ends? Similar valves 67 and 68 are rigidly mounted upon said shafts G3 and 64, respectively, and are adapted through the instrumentality of parts actuated by collars 13 and 14,y as hereinafter explained, to rock back and forth at proper times and by sim ultaneous contact with the opposite sides of Vopenings 62 of the valve-blocks cut off the entrance of steam to the pistons. In order to provide a steam-tight joint between the sides of said valves, which are of the balanced type, in order to work with the minimum of friction, they are provided in said sides with grooves, in which are seated'wear-strips G9, and interposed,preferably,between said strips and the valves are the cushions 70, which tend to press said strips laterally outward and compensate forwear by keeping them in frictional contact with the opposing walls of openings G2 at all times, as Will be readily understood.

In order to prevent the valve-blocks from having end movement toward each other and yet provide for their easy andquick removal, if necessary, I interpose a stiff expansive spring 71 between them, said spring preferably having its opposite ends seated in sockets 72 in the opposing surfaces of the blocks, as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the collars 13 and 14, it will be noticed that they are of the cam type and of similar construction,with the exception that the collar 14 is provided with a grooved extension 73, engaged. by the lever 74, pivoted upon a sector 75, secured to the engine and provided with a series of equidistant notches 76 77 78 79, the notches 7(5`and 78 being arranged between the notches 77 and 79. Said vlever also carries the usual spring-actuated dog S0, which, by engagement with one or another of said notches, regulates th'e volume of steam admitted to the cylinder and the length of time which such supply continues to be admitted, as will be presently explained.

The cam-collars 13 and 14 are secured upon the shaft at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, and one is adapted to work in conjunction with one piston and the other with the companion piston.

The cam-13 is provided with four cam-surfaces-viz., S1 82 83 84, 81 and 83 being 4arranged diam etrically opposite each other and extending about half-way around the collar in order that steam may be admitted to the cylinder While the piston is traveling half4 the revolution and then be cut off, as hereinafter explained, so that the remaining half-revolui tion of the piston may be accomplished by the expansion of the steam admitted during the first half-revolution, one of these cams serving to cause the admission of steam when the piston is rotating in one direction and the other when the engine is reversed.. The cams 32 and 84 of said collar are also located at diametrically opposite points and extend about one-quarter way around the collar and are adapted, accordingly as the engine runs in one direction or the other, to admit steam while the piston is traveling one-fourth of a revolution and then permit it to be cut off, in order that the remaining three-quarters revolution shall be under the expansion of the steam admitted during the first quarterrevolution. The collar 14 lis also provided with four similar cam-surfaces 8F82 S3a 84W. These surfaces are arranged With the same relation to each other as the cam-surfaces of collar 13, but owing to the fact that the collarv 14 is secured upon the shaft at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees to the collar 13 the companion surfaces 81 S1 S2 82, &c., are at diametrically opposite sides of the shaft S, and consequently at the instant steam is cut off from onerchamber orsubcylinderit is admitted to the other chamber or subcylinder. Therefore it is obvious that the steam is acting on one pistou or the other as long as the engine is in operation., In order to explain this operation more clearly, attention is directed especially to Figs. 11 .and 12, where the collars are arranged in proper relation to each other.

85 designates rollers, which engage the camcollars and are mounted in the lower ends of the slotted links 86 and 87, pivoted to the crank-arms 66, hereinbefore described. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) Said links are guided upon the antifriction-rollers 88, mounted upon pins projecting from the cylinder-heads, and are held depressed with a -yielding pressure by means of springs 89,1nounted upon the pins 90,

and bearing at their upper and lower ends, respectively, upon crank-arms 6G and the .pins upon which guide-rollers 88 are journaled.

The Water accumulating in the piston-chambers by condensation is drained off through the drain-cocks 91.

Snpposing, now, that the lever 74 occupies the position shown in Fig. S, with the dog engaging notch 79, it is obvious that the collars are moved to the left upon the shaft as far as possible, and that in consequence the linkrollers 85 are engaged with said collars in the plane of the collars 84 and 84a, respectively, so that as the shaft revolves said cams for onequarter ofeach revolution raise said links,

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and thereby oscillate the valves 67 and 68 from the position indicated in full lines to that in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and thereby admit steam to the cylinders by way of the openings G2, passages 44 of slide-valves, and ports 38, and that the exhaust-steam at this time escapes by wayof ports 39, slide-valve cavities 45, communicating therewith, passages 4l, and holes 42 into the common exhaustpassage 36, whence it escapes through the exhaust-pipe 37 in the customary manner. Owing to the fact that the valves are alternately held open for only one-quarter revolution it is obvious that the first quarter-revolution of each piston is under direct steam-pressu re and the following three-quarters revolution is under expansion.

To reverse the operation of the engine and still obtain three-quarters expansion, the lever 52 is manipulated to shift the slide-valve and cause the steam to enter the subcylinder by Way of passages 39 instead of passages 38.

To cause the engi ne to reverse without waste of steam, it is necessary to shift the cam-collars from the position described-viz., that shown in full lines, Fig. S-to the position 3 direct pressure and half expansion, the lever 74 is shifted so as to cause dog 80 to engage notch 76, and consequently place the rollers v To 85 in engagement with half-cams 8l 8l". reverse the operation of the engine and still maintain the same direct and expansive pressure, said lever is manipulated to cause the n rollers S5 to engage the half-cam surfaces 83 83, as will be readily understood.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a rotary engine 1 embodying the features of advantage enumer- 2 ated as desirablein the statement of :invention, and it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes as do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of the same.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters i Patent, is-

approaches and ports at opposite sides of its apex, asteamchest,provided with supply and exhaust ports, a slide-valve therein, provided with a passage communicating with the supply-port andv with cavities connecting the other port with the exhaust-port ofthe steamchest, a shaft extending through said pistonf chamber, a rotary piston thereon provided a balanced valve arranged to oscillate in said opening and by contact with its opposite sides upon the engine-shaft, and instrumentalities actuated by said cam-collar for oscillatingsaid balanced valve, substantially as described.

2. A rotary engine, provided with two piston-chambers, each having an abutment with sloping approaches and ports at opposite i sides of its apex, a steam-chest provided with supply and exhaust ports, slide-valves there in, provided with passages communicating with certain of said ports, and with cavities connecting the other ports with the exhaustports of the engine, a shaft extending through said chambers, rotary pistons thereon, and provided with radially-extending win gs set at an angle to each other, a slide-plate connecting said valves, and provided with openings, a lever-carrying shaft journaled in the steamchest and provided with a cog-segment engaging the openings of said plate, and means to secure said lever and connecting slideplate, at their required point of adjustment, substantially as described.

3. A rotary engine, provided with two pist0n-chambers, each provided with an abutment having sloping approaches and ports at opposite sides of its apex, a steam-chest, provided with supply and exhaust ports, slidevalves therein, provided with passages communicating with certain of said ports, and with cavities connecting the other ports with the exhaust-port ot' the engine, a shaft extending through said chambers, rotary pistous thereon and provided with radially-projeeting wings set at an angle to each other, a slide-plate connecting said valves and provided with openings, a lever-carrying shaft journaled in the steam-chest and provided with a cog-segment engaging the openings of said plate, a sector, and a spring-actuated dog carried by the lever and adapted to engage said sector and hold the slide-valves in one position or the other, substantially as described.

4. A rotary engine, provided with two piston-chambers, each provided with an abutment having sloping approaches and ports at opposite sides of its apex, a steam-chest, provided with supply and exhaust ports, slidevalves therein, provided with passages communicating with certain of said ports, and 1. A rotary engine, provided with apistonchamber, having an abutment with sloping with cavities connecting the other ports with the exhaust-port of the engine, a shaft extending through said chambers, rotary pistons thereon and provided with radially-projecting wings set at an angle to each other,

blocks mounted in the steam-chest and upon the slide-valves and provided with openings IOO communicating with the passages of said valves, and balanced valves located in said openings and adapted to permit or prevent steam passing therethrough, substantially as described.

5. A rotary engine, provided with two piston-chambers, each provided with an abutment having sloping approaches and ports at opposite sides of its apex, a steam-chest, provided with supply and exhaust ports, slidevalves therein, provided with passages conimunicating with certain of said ports, and with cavities connecting the other ports with the exhaust-port of the engine, a shaft extending through said chambers, rotary pis-.

tons thereon and provided with radially-projecting wings set at an angle to each other, blocks mounted in the steam-chest and upon the slide-valves and provided with openings communicating with the passages of said valves, balanced Valves located inv said openings, collars provided with cam surfaces mounted upon the shaft, and instrumentalities operated by said cams to oscillate said balanced valves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. p

G. A rotary engine, provided with two piston-chambers, each provided with an abutment having slopingapproaches and ports at opposite sides of its apex, a steam-chest, provided with supply and exhaust ports, slidevalves therein, provided with passages communicating with certain of said ports, and with cavities connecting the other ports with the exhaust-port of the engine, a shaft extending through said chambers, rotary pistons thereon and provided with radially-projecting Wings set at an angle to each other, blocks mounted in the steam-chest and upon the slide-valves and provided with openings communicating with the passages vof said valves, balanced valves located in said openings,collars mounted upon said shaft and provided with a pair of cam-surfaces extending about one-quarter way around thecollar, and a pair of cam-surfaces extendingabout halfway around the collar, instru mentalities connected to said balanced valves, and means to adjust said collars and thereby cause the corresponding cam surfaces to actuate said valves through said instrumentalities, substantially as described.

7. A rotary engine, provided with two piston-chambers, each provided with an abutment having sloping approaches and ports at opposite sides of its apex, a steam-chest, provided with supply and exhaust ports, slidevalves therein, provided with passages communicating with certain of said ports, and

lwith cavities connecting the other ports with the exhaust-port of the engine, a shaft extending through said chambers', rotary pistons thereon and provided with radially-projecting wings set at an Vangle to each other, blocks mounted in the steam-chest and upon the slide-valves and provided with openings communicating with the passages of said valves, shafts journaled in said blocks, a spring forcing said blocks apart, shafts journaled in the steam-chest and said blocks, balanced valves mounted thereon in the openings of said blocks, spring-depressed crankarms upon said shafts, slotted links suitably guided pivoted to said arms and provided with rollers at their lower ends, cam-collars rotating with but adapted to slide upon the shaft, each collar being provided with two one-quarter and two one-half cams; one quarter and one half cam being arranged diametrically opposite each other, tie-rods connecting said cam-collars, alever for shifting them longitudinally on the shaft, so as to cause the desired cams to engage the rollers of said links, a sector, and a spring-actuated dog carried by said lever and engaging said sector, substantially as described.

8'. In a rotary engine, a circular piston provided with a radial notch, a T-shaped wing seated therein, consisting of a pair of sections 26,1ap-jointed together and provided with opposing cavities 27, and With pins 29, projecting inward at opposite sides of the stemof the wing, springs 28 seated in said opposing cavities and exerting outward pressure upon said sections, and springs 30, secured to the pistons and having their opposite ends engaging said pins and pressing outward upon the gving, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN BODAM.

Witnesses:

B. W. KNIGHT, JOSHUA BRADLEY. 

